The Best DC Miniseries

As the publisher that launched the Golden Age of Comics and the superhero genre itself, DC Comics has produced some of the most iconic heroes in print, such as Batman and Superman. With almost ninety years of stories behind it, the publisher continues to release some of the medium’s greatest stories. These can be found in a variety of formats and lengths, from years-long creative teams to shorter arcs.

While some of the best comic book runs are told over dozens, if not hundreds, of issues, others are far more accessible, presented in miniseries format. These comics offer readers a simplified, focused examination of characters, typically requiring little to no prior reading to enjoy. Sometimes, the best reading experience can be found in a short and sweet story, one that can be enjoyed in a single day — and these miniseries prove it.

10 War of the Gods (1991)

George Pérez, Russell Braun, Romeo Tanghal, Pablo Marcos, Scott Hanna, Phil Jimenez, Gordon Purcell, Dick Giordano, Frank McLaughlin, Alan Kupperberg and Cynthia Martin

War of the Gods follows the Justice League as they go up against Circe, who has manipulated various gods to wage war over Earth. Where some ancient gods seek to outright destroy the planet — and each other — others wish to reshape the world in their image. All that stands in their way is the superheroes of the world, with Wonder Woman playing a key role in the planet’s defense.

War of the Gods sheds light on a side of the DCU that doesn’t get the attention it deserves, casting the gods of ancient cultures as the story’s primary villains. Through George Pérez’s art, readers are given a supernatural epic that rivaled Jack Kirby’s own work on comic book deities. For those who gravitate towards epic, cosmic war, few stories have come close to this masterpiece.

9 Superman: Red Son (2003)

Mark Millar, Dave Johnson and Andrew Robinson

As one of the best Elseworlds of all time, Superman: Red Son explores an alternate world in which Kal-El landed in the Soviet Union, rather than Kansas. After the boy’s abilities become clear, he’s trained up to be the hero of Communism, sparking a race with the United States for metahuman power. Under President Lex Luthor, the U.S. is drawn into a confrontation as Soviet Superman becomes more independent — only for a Russian Batman to enter the fight.

Superman: Red Son is the face of what the Elseworlds imprint should be, delivering a great mash-up of alternate history, fresh origins and real stakes. The story was, in effect, Injustice long before the video game, exploring the ethics of a Superman devoid of the American Way and how his existence triggers a Cold War metahuman arms race.

8 Batman: White Knight (2017–2018)

Sean Gordon Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth

Sean Gordon Murphy’s Batman work has been defined through his White Knight universe, which began with the 2017 series of the same name. The story follows Joker as, after being force-fed psychotropic drugs by Batman, he reverts to his regular self, Jack Napier. Now determined to rid Gotham of vigilantism and lawlessness, Napier runs for public office and makes the Caped Crusader public enemy number one. However, as he does, the Clown Prince of Crime begins to resurface.

Batman: White Knight, along with its sequels, has crafted one of the most interesting Elseworlds universes, one with a focus on Gotham’s history and the legacy of the Waynes. The story explores the relationship between Joker and Batman, questions a world without the Caped Crusader and reimagines key figures in Bat-history for this thriller universe.

7 Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2003–2004)

Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness

The 2003 Superman/Batman series kicked off with a bang as readers were introduced to a world where Lex Luthor used political turmoil to get elected president by running as an independent. However, not content to work under his regime, Batman and Superman become outlaws. When it’s discovered that a Kryptonite meteor is hurtling towards Earth, the duo take the situation into their own hands, and are forced to oust President Luthor.

The “Public Enemies” arc stands out as a great, self-contained story, one that casts the World’s Finest as outlaws, fighting to save the world and standing against the corruption of Luthor. Considering the stellar success of the current World’s Finest series, it’s more than worth reading this modern classic of a team-up.

6 Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage (2020)

Jeff Lemire, Dennis Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz and Chris Sotomator

Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage explores one of DC’s best vigilantes in a fresh, noir-inspired adventure. The series follows Vic Sage as he learns of a conspiracy afoot in Hub City, one that sends his mind hurtling through the past, experiencing his previous lives. As he watches the grim fates of his ancestors, he realizes there’s an old evil with a grip on the fate of the city.

Serving as a surreal, dark detective story, Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage even outdoes the average Batman comic in its gritty and disturbing crime story. The miniseries serves as commentary on the self-perpetuating cycle of violence and corruption, while also delivering a brilliant psychological thriller perfect for fans of the likes of True Detective.

5 Superman Smashes the Klan (2019–2020)

Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru

Superman Smashes the Klan follows the life of the Lee family who, in the 1940s, move out of Chinatown and into the heart of Metropolis. Despite being good members of their community and upstanding Americans, their Asian heritage makes them an immediate target of the Ku Klux Klan. Fortunately, they have the Man of Steel himself in their corner.

Superman Smashes the Klan pits the Man of Steel against one of the darkest forces in American history, showing him to be a true champion of the oppressed and the vulnerable. The story’s focus on the Lees is a great change of pace for a Superman story, exploring 1940s Metropolis through the eyes of ordinary people.

4 The Dark Knight Returns (1986)

Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley

The Dark Knight Returns takes place in a near-future Gotham City, where the Mutant Gang terrorizes residents in an unprecedented crime wave. In response, an aged Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement as Batman, putting on his cape and cowl to take matters into his own hands. Seeing the return of the hero, a teen named Carrie Kelly turns herself into the city’s new Robin, aiding the Caped Crusader. However, not only does his return bring Joker out of his shell, it also attracts the unwanted attention of Superman, who is charged with keeping vigilantes off the street.

The Dark Knight Returns isn’t just a fantastic miniseries, it also completely reinvented Batman for the Modern Age of Comics. The miniseries is an excellent exploration of what the hero means to Gotham, a critique of ’80s crime policies and delivers a fan-favorite superhero grudge match.

3 Batman: The Cult (1988)

Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson

Batman: The Cult follows the Caped Crusader’s investigation into a Gotham cult led by Deacon Blackfire, one that murders the city’s homeless. After being captured by the cult, the hero is psychologically reconditioned into joining them. No longer in control of his faculties, BruceWayne aids the group in their murderous rampage, only to escape through luck and regain his senses.

Batman: The Cult is a great psychological thriller, one that tests the limits of Batman’s psyche and explores the impact of trauma on the hero. For readers who enjoy the darker side of Gotham and like seeing The Dark Knight pushed to his limits, it doesn’t get much better than this four-issue miniseries.

2 DC: The New Frontier (2004)

Darwyn Cooke

DC: The New Frontier serves as Darwyn Cooke’s exploration of the transition between DC’s Golden and Silver Age. The miniseries follows the awakening of a primordial being on Earth, the Center, which threatens to wipe humanity from the planet. At the same time, several key superheroes get their origins, as Hal Jordan discovers Abin Sur and his lantern and J’onn J’onnz arrives on Earth. When the Center nears the United States, the government teams up with heroes like the Challengers of the Unknown, Atom and Flash to fight back.

Darwyn Cooke’s miniseries uses aspects of political thriller, cosmic horror and Golden Age science fiction to stand out as one of the publisher’s most informative miniseries. Not only does it simplify several key origin stories, it also sheds light on the origins of the Justice League, delivering the best formation of the team in the publisher’s history.

1 Kingdom Come (1996)

Mark Waid and Alex Ross

Kingdom Come is set in a future where Clark Kent has retired as Superman, and a new generation of antiheroes attempt to step up as the vanguard against villainy. However, when their reckless tactics prove too dangerous, the Man of Steel returns to his duties as a superhero, and reforms the Justice League. Along the way, he gives his fellow metahumans a choice: fight with the JLA or face internment.

Kingdom Come serves as a deep look at the value of classic superheroes and their ethos, while also rebuking the new wave of dark and gritty characters of the ’90s. The success of the miniseries helped get DC Comics back to a more classic interpretation of its universe, and sports some of the best art and writing of the 1990s.